The irish jews that served in ww2

brian r connor

Hi im doing some research on the irish jews that were in the allied armed forces during ww2. I can only find 2 men that served on 1 died. Samuel Ellison was with the 458 bomber squadron raaf and survived the war and Maurice donald khan who was a mustang pilot with raf squadron 168 and both are buried in dolphins barn. has anyone any more info on either men or anymore that served during the war.

Madd Finn

Well don't forget a certain Chaim Herzog, born in Belfast, raised in Dublin, son of the Chief Rabbi of Ireland and spoke English with a pleasant middle class Dublin accent for the rest of his life, even after he became president of Israel.

Strictly, he had already emigrated to Palestine when the war broke out so maybe he doesn't meet your criterion of an "Irishman" but he always remembered his Irish connections fondly. He served as an intelligence officer in the British Army and later performed a similar role for many years in the IDF, rising eventually to general rank.

He is long dead now, of course, but his son is currently (at the time of writing) leader of the main political grouping opposing Netanyahu in the Israeli general election. Serendipitously, perhaps, it is scheduled to take place on St Patrick's Day.

Vote a Paddy in for Paddy's Day, I say.